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French Leader Wants Transit Strike Talks

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By ELAINE GANLEY, The Associated Press

Published: November 15, 2007

PARIS - Transport workers shut down most trains Wednesday, testing the patience of Parisians forced to walk, bike or roller skate to work with a strike aimed at derailing President Nicolas Sarkozy's plan to strip away labor protections he says hurt France's competitiveness.

Faced with a new day of strikes today and the first major challenge to his crusade to modernize France via wide reforms, Sarkozy called on unions to enter talks.

"The president of the Republic has always considered that there is more to be gained for all parties in negotiation than in conflict," presidential spokesman David Martinon said.

The strikes "must end as quickly as possible in the interest of passengers," Martinon said.

Parisians were forced to rely on their own energy, or ingenuity, to get to work Wednesday. They made full use of the city's new rent-a-bike service, roller skated across town or used children's scooters. Others traded high heels for sensible shoes and walked.

Just 90 of 700 trains ran Wednesday. The Eurostar between Paris and London, run by a separate company, was unaffected by the strike. Tempers were short on the first day.

"I support the idea of strikes, but not this strike," said Xavier Michel, 25, who skated five miles to his advertising job.

This strike hurts "the little guys like us" who are "basically taken hostage," he said.

The government and unions are seeking a compromise in the standoff over Sarkozy's bid to pare down special pension benefits for a few privileged sectors, such as train drivers who retire at 50. Money saved by reform that would affect a half-million workers is meant to spur growth and put all the French on the same footing.

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